[thelist] Browser parsing

[deke]

On 15 Mar 2001, at 12:05, Mark Fletcher wrote:

> I'm in the process of creating some web tutorials and wondered anyone could
> furnish me with a detailed explanation of what the term 'Parsing' means in
> relation to the web. I have read Ben Henicks excellent article 'Back to
> Basics' which gives a general description of what the browser does but I
> could really do with some more information.

Parsing means the same thing in relation to the web as it meant
when you took eighth-grade English and diagrammed sentences.

A browser is basically a downloader and an HTML interpreter. 

If you want to get into the innards of interpreters/compilers, curl
up with the dragon book: "Compilers : Principles, Techniques, 
and Tools" by Alfred V. Aho, Ravi Sethi, Jeffrey D. Ullman  

You probably don't want to buy it - it's $72 - but it is available in *every* library worthy of the name. 

--------
I got this powdered water. 
Now I don't know what to add. 
            -- Steven Wright